Update from the ASPR Board of Directors: Governance restructure

Over the past year, the ASPR Board of Directors has been evaluating its governance structure. Members of the board employed a variety of educational resources to learn about best practices for high functioning boards. They also researched how ASPR could make improvements to its governance structure to help propel the organization forward most effectively and efficiently in order to ensure alignment with strategic objectives. The growth and reach of our organization has expanded, which makes this an opportune time to examine our governance structure and how we can maximize our resources as we grow.

At a recent board of directors retreat, the board reviewed and approved a governance restructure proposal that aligns board positions with the mission and strategic objectives of ASPR. Effective February 1, each member-at-large position has a specialized area of focus with responsibilities that align with strategic priorities. The member at large titles have changed to vice president of a strategic area. Additional responsibilities were defined for each of the officer positions and assigned as either administrative or operational roles. Here is a consolidated overview of the roles and responsibilities for each of the Board positions as a result of this governance restructure:

President (Scott Manning, FASPR): Ensures stability of the organization through appropriate oversight of the association management company (AMC), administrative activities, and vendor relations.

President-Elect (Debbie Gleason, FASPR): Ensures organizational success through appropriate oversight of strategic objectives, business development opportunities, and alignment to the mission/vision/values.

Treasurer (Diane Collins, FASPR): Ensures the fiscal stability of the organization through prudent management and oversight of all financial transactions, processes, and policies.

Vice President, Governance (Frank Gallagher): Responsible for administrative functions as they relate to policy, procedures, guidelines, orientation, development activities, and the election process.

Vice President, Education (Allen Kram, FASPR): Responsible for implementation of the strategic plan as it relates to educational activities (annual conference, fellowship, webinars, journal, etc.) through the guidance of committee work and AMC staff.

Vice President, Engagement (Laura Screeney, FASPR): Responsible for implementation of the strategic plan as it relates to marketing and member engagement activities through the guidance of committee work and AMC staff.

Vice President, Research (Shelley Tudor, FASPR): Responsible for implementation of the strategic plan as it relates to research activities (benchmarking, surveys, white papers, resource library, etc.) through the guidance of committee work and AMC staff.

The additional responsibilities that each board member now holds will have an impact on the nomination process for future board elections. The board developed specific and defined eligibility criteria for each of these positions and these criteria will be thoroughly evaluated for each candidate during the nomination and election process. More details on this topic are contained in an article here.

Marketing Committee update

Due to the dynamic nature of marketing for a large organization, there is an increased need to coordinate and prioritize the varied programs and services ASPR offers. The Board believes these tasks are best organized at the staff level with the assistance of an outside marketing firm. The board wishes to thank the dedicated volunteers on the ASPR Marketing Committee and have invited them to bring their unique skills and interests to the many areas that will need increased focus, such as writing, research, and leadership development, when the formal committee is dissolved.
If you have any questions regarding the governance restructure, please contact Shelley Tudor at studor@humana.com.